Press Statement By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Komtar, George Town On 29.9.2016.
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), Malaysia has slipped seven places to be ranked 25th out of 140 countries in the Global Competitiveness Report 2016-2017, compared to last year where it was placed 18th out of 138 countries. There is a new urgency needed to abolish GST not only to save the economy for small businesses and wage earners but also restore Malaysia’s competitiveness that dropped by 38% this year from 18th to 25th.
Malaysia is an economy in trouble. The ringgit has continued to weaken, brought about by lower oil prices and global corruption like the 1MDB and donation scandals. Economic growth has slowed from 5% last year to 4%. Worse, despite having a 4% economic growth rate, GST collection has declined by RM3.1 billion or 30% from RM10.2 billion in 1Q2016 to RM7.1 billion in 2Q2016.
The latest 38% drop in global competitiveness ranking must be particularly galling and painful for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. The Prime Minister would always make it a point to highlight in his annual Budget Speech in Parliament how the World Economic Forum(WEF) lauds Malaysia’s competitiveness and economic performance. Now even the WEF has abandoned him.
The time has come for the Prime Minister to admit that he was mistaken to implement the GST when Malaysians were not ready for it, especially when unlike Singapore, Malaysia is not a high-income country. Najib has no choice. Apart from abolishing the GST, what other measures can effectively can save our competititveness, our economy and put money back into the ordinary rakyat?
LIM GUAN ENG
槟州首席部长林冠英于2016年9月29日在乔治市光大发表文告：
撤销消费税不仅能够振兴小型企业，同时也可帮助打工一族渡过难关，更重要的是，它将可以抢救马来西亚每况愈下的竞争力。根据报告显示，今年我国的竞争力评比下挫38%，排名从第18名一路跌到第25名，如此看来，撤销消费税已来到了迫在眉睫的地步。
根据世界经济论坛做出的2016年-2017年全球竞争力报告显示，马来西亚排名连跌七级，在全球140个国家中排在第25位，而去年，大马在这项排名榜上名列第18名，当时共有138个国家参与评比。我国的排名从第18名一路跌到第25名，足足掉了38%，如此看来，撤销消费税已来到了迫在眉睫的地步，毕竟撤销消费税不仅能够振兴小型企业，同时也得以帮助打工一族渡过难关，更重要的是，它将可以抢救马来西亚每况愈下的竞争力。
马来西亚的经济无疑正陷入水深火热之中。因为全球油价下滑以及1MDB 、捐款丑闻等因素，导致马币持续走软。经济成长也从去年的5%下跌至今年同期的4%。更糟的是，即便我们的经济成长率达4%，消费税税收却下跌了31亿令吉或30%，从2016年第一季的102亿令吉，重挫至2016年第二季的71亿令吉。
我国在全球竞争力的排行榜中节节败退，跌幅达38%，这样的坏消息无疑是对首相拿督斯里纳吉添加无限烦恼。过去，首相常常在国会上宣布财政预算案时，强调世界经济论坛如何赞美马来西亚的竞争力和经济表现，如今，世界经济论坛的报告看来也已经遗弃了他。
走到今天，首相应该承认当初实施消费税是不当的措施，因为举国上下都还未对此做好准备。我们并不是新加坡，人家是高收入的国家，而大马则还没走到那一步。纳吉已别无选择，除了撤销消费税，试问我们还有什么方法来抢救我国的竞争力、我们的经济，以及重新将钱交予普罗百姓？
林冠英